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Complexity, Muddling Through, and Sustainable Forest Management

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Part of the book series: Sustainability, Economics, and Natural Resources ((SENR,volume 1))

Abstract

I distinguish two stories that economists have in their mind when they think of economics— one is a story of efficiency and control; the other story is of complexity and muddling through. I argue that the new work in economics of sustainable forest management that is being discussed in this volume is part of a broader trend that is occurring in economics—switching from the efficiency and control story to a complexity and muddling through story. As such it is associated with current changes going on at the cutting edge of economics.

Parts of this paper come from early drafts of a book I am currently working on with William Brock entitled The Economics of Muddling Through. (Brock & Colander, forthcoming-b) At this point only I am responsible for the arguments presented here.

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Colander, D. (2005). Complexity, Muddling Through, and Sustainable Forest Management. In: Kant, S., Berry, R.A. (eds) Economics, Sustainability, and Natural Resources. Sustainability, Economics, and Natural Resources, vol 1. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-3518-7_2

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